Activism Has Failed Nigeria, We Need a New Path – Farotimi
Activism Has Failed Nigeria, We Need a New Path – Farotimi
Dele Farotimi, the National Organising Secretary of Afenifere, a Yoruba socio-cultural organization, asserts that activism has proven unsuccessful and will not benefit Nigeria.
Farotimi expressed this viewpoint on Tuesday during an interview with Arise Television, emphasizing that the country is experiencing a system failure.
He emphasized that meaningful change in the country can only be achieved through a peaceful revolution.
Farotimi dismissed the term ‘political activist,’ choosing instead to identify as a Nigerian voicing opposition to the suffering associated with “victimhood.”
No matter how long you stand in front of a mango tree asking for oranges, you’ll only ever get mangoes from it. Similarly, as Nigerians… let me clarify two points: I’m not a political activist; I’m simply another Nigerian voicing the struggles of my experience here.
You might label it as being a political or human rights activist, but let’s be clear—I don’t identify with those terms anymore. Those associations are no longer esteemed groups that I aspire to join.
Activism alone will not solve Nigeria’s issues. The country’s challenges won’t be resolved through sporadic actions or reactions to a systemic problem.
He stated, “Activism evolved from #EndSars to #EndPoliceBrutality and #EndBadGovernance. This indicates that activism hasn’t succeeded in Nigeria, and we need to acknowledge this reality.”
